Boston University's employment policies govern the processes and activities that lead to the University's employment of the best qualified individuals. They establish the University's commitment to equal opportunity and affirmative action and are consistent with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The policies are listed below and the specific provisions are presented in the individual policy statements.

101 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
102 Recruitment, Interviewing and Hiring
103 Employment of Aliens, Minors, Relatives and Students
104 Employee Orientation

101 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

101.1 Equal Opportunity

Boston University prohibits discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. This policy extends to all rights, privileges, programs and activities, including housing, employment, admissions, financial assistance, and educational and athletic programs. Boston University recognizes that non-discrimination does not ensure that equal opportunity is a reality for all employees, applicants for employment, and students. Because of this, the University will continue to take affirmative action to ensure that employees and students alike are treated equally during their employment and/or matriculation.

Boston University strongly encourages minority group members, veterans, disabled individuals, and women to apply for positions for which they are qualified and that are of interest to them.

Care will be taken to ensure that affirmative action includes, but is not limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment, layoff, rates of pay, and all other forms of compensation, apprenticeships, and selection for training.

Personnel policies and practices have been reviewed, and will continue to be reviewed, to ensure that there will be no illegal discrimination against employees on account of sex and that all employees of both sexes shall have equal opportunity to any available job that they are qualified to perform.

The University will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of a physical or mental disability. Boston University takes affirmative action to employ and advance qualified disabled individuals in all segments of its workforce and is committed to full participation in campus life by disabled students, staff, and faculty.

The University prohibits unlawful discrimination against any individual in the providing of, or access to, University services or facilities. In doing so, the University acts in conformity with all applicable state and federal laws.

Any employee judged to be in willful and deliberate noncompliance with any section of this Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy will be subject to disciplinary action.

101.2 Inquiries

Inquiries regarding the application of this policy should be addressed to the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, 25 Buick Street, Boston, MA 02215, 617/353-4477.

101.3 President's statement on Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action:

Boston University has been dedicated to equal opportunity since its founding. Since 1869, the University has maintained an open door to students without regard to race, sex, creed, or other irrelevant criteria. In order to maintain this tradition, it is the policy of Boston University to promote equal opportunity through a positive, continuing program of specific practices in educational programs and employment designed to ensure the full realization of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

The purpose of this policy is to avoid discrimination and to extend equal opportunity to all individuals on the basis of individual merit and qualifications. Officers of the University and all Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers are responsible and accountable for the proper implementation of equal opportunity and affirmative action in their respective areas and are expected to exercise leadership toward their achievement.

In order to maintain its policy of equal opportunity, Boston University will continue to take active measures to ensure that personnel actions (such as recruitment, testing, selection, placement, training programs, promotions, transfers, layoffs, recalls, terminations, and disciplinary actions), educational programs, tuition remission, financial assistance, social and recreational programs, employee benefits, and compensation are fairly and equitably applied in conformity with state and federal laws.

The coordination and implementation of this policy at Boston University is the responsibility of the Associate Vice President for Human Resources. To carry out this responsibility, a reporting and monitoring procedure has been instituted to measure progress in attainment of stated affirmative action goals and objectives by all units and departments. Reports are available upon request in the Office of Human Resources. Equal employment opportunity and affirmative action are not only legal, moral, social, and economic necessities, they are principles underlying the founding and continuing operation of this University. I am personally committed to these principles, as is the Board of Trustees, as a corporate group and as individuals. It is expected that every employee of Boston University will share this commitment and cooperate fully in assisting the University to meet its equal opportunity and affirmative action objectives.

Aram V. Chobanian, M.D.
President ad Interim

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102 RECRUITING, INTERVIEWING, AND HIRING

Boston University's recruiting, interviewing, and hiring activities are conducted to ensure the employment of the best qualified individuals. These activities must be carried out in a manner consistent with the University's commitment to the principles of affirmative action and to ensure that minority group members, veterans, disabled individuals, and women are given equal opportunity for employment and promotion.

102.1 Recruiting

All recruiting efforts are coordinated by the Office of Human Resources. Only the Office of Human Resources is authorized to place recruitment advertisements or register position openings with employment agencies or search firms. Department Heads may not establish contractual arrangements with employment agencies or search firms. Any such arrangement must be approved and made by the Office of Human Resources.

All positions covered by this manual must be posted in the University's Job Opportunities listing for at least five (5) working days before an offer of employment can be extended, provided, however, that under certain special circumstances this requirement may be waived with the approval of the Director of Personnel.

The Boston University Job Opportunities listing is available on the World Wide Web (www.bu.edu/hr) and on GALAXY.

All applicants must apply through the Office of Human Resources. This includes current employees applying for promotions or transfers within the University.

102.2 Interviewing and Pre-employment Testing

Applicants who are interviewed by a hiring department are also interviewed by the Office of Human Resources. This includes current employees applying for promotions or transfers within the University.

A current employee must inform his or her supervisor of his or her application for another position within the University at the time the employee schedules an interview in the hiring department.

Only the Office of Human Resources is authorized to administer employment tests.

102.3 Hiring

Employment references are to be obtained and reviewed before a final employment decision is made. Hiring departments are responsible for coordinating these activities with the Office of Human Resources. For an internal promotion or transfer to an exempt position, the hiring department must obtain a written reference from the candidate's current Boston University supervisor prior to an offer of employment being made by the Office of Human Resources.

The final decision on which candidate to hire is made by the hiring department in consultation with the Office of Human Resources.

Hiring departments are not authorized to extend either written or verbal offers of employment. Only the Office of Human Resources is authorized to extend an offer of employment.

Former Boston University employees may not be rehired without written authorization from the Director of Personnel.

102.4 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)

All new hires (employees hired after November 6, 1986) are required to produce proof of their identity and employment eligibility to their hiring managers as a condition of employment and in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). This includes all full- and part-time, regular employees and all casual and temporary employees. The Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) must be completed for all new employees within three working days of the first day of work.

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103 EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS, MINORS, RELATIVES, AND STUDENTS

103.1 Employment of Aliens

Boston University's employment of aliens is restricted to those who are authorized under law to accept employment in the United States.

As part of the employment process at Boston University, aliens are required to provide evidence of employability, documentation of their identity, visa, work permit, and/or authorization to accept employment in the United States. Questions regarding visas and work permits should be referred to the International Students and Scholars Office at 617/353-3565.

103.2 Employment of Minors

No person under the age of fourteen (14) may be employed by Boston University.

Minors between fourteen (14) and sixteen (16) years of age must submit an employment permit issued by a local school authority to the Office of Human Resources at the time they apply for employment at the University.

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for ensuring compliance with federal and state laws concerning hours and conditions of employment for individuals between fourteen (14) and eighteen (18) years of age. Departments employing such individuals must consult with the Office of Human Resources when considering changes in hours of work and conditions of employment for such individuals.

103.3 Employment of Relatives

Boston University employees may refer friends and relatives to the Office of Human Resources for possible employment by the University. Such referrals are processed in accordance with the regular procedures used for all applicants. The employment of relatives who are qualified for employment at Boston University is subject to the following policy provisions.

Close relatives and members of the same household cannot be employed in positions where one has supervisory responsibility for the other or makes employment decisions pertaining to the other. Close relatives are defined as the employee's spouse, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, brothers, sisters, brothers- or sisters-in-law, sons- or daughters-in law, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, children, or grandchildren.

In situations where two employees become close relatives by marriage and one has supervisory responsibility for the other or makes employment decisions pertaining to the other, one of the individuals will be required to effect a transfer or termination within ninety (90) days of the marriage.

Requests for exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Provost or the appropriate Vice President and submitted with written justification to the Director of Personnel before an offer of employment is extended.

103.4 Employment of Boston University Students

Boston University students who are enrolled as full-time students cannot be employed by the University in a regular, full-time position.

Boston University students who seek employment at the University must do so through the Student Employment Office.

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104 EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION

The Office of Human Resources conducts Employee Orientation meetings to provide new employees with information on the University's history, facilities, programs, benefit plans, safety programs, and personnel policies and procedures. At these meetings, new employees are given an opportunity to enroll in employee benefit plans, obtain an employee University identification card or badge, and review the University Patent Policy and Agreement.

104.1 Attendance and Scheduling

All new employees are required to attend an Employee Orientation meeting within thirty (30) days of employment. Employees are to be afforded time away from work to attend their scheduled orientation meeting. Delays in attending an orientation may also delay the date that benefit plan coverage can be established for a new employee.

The Office of Human Resources, via the University's Employment offer letter, notifies each new employee and his or her supervisor of the date, time, and place of the employee's orientation meeting. In the event that the employee cannot attend that meeting, the supervisor is responsible for contacting the Office of Human Resources to reschedule the employee for attendance at the next orientation meeting.

104.2 University Identification

Boston University employees are required to carry or wear University identification while on University premises. A University identification card or badge is required for gaining access to University facilities and services, and obtaining certain discounts at the University bookstore and some area merchants.

University identification cards are issued to all employees by the Office of Human Resources on both campuses during their orientation meeting. While there is no charge for an employee's initial University identification card or badge, a fee is charged for replacements.

Employees are required to return their University identification card or badge upon termination of employment with Boston University.

104.3 Tuberculin Test

New employees must submit to the Occupational Health Center, within the first ninety (90) days of employment, certification of freedom from active tuberculosis. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that such certification be based on a negative tuberculin skin test unless the individual is found or known to be skin positive in which case a chest x-ray would be required.

SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION

104.4 Departmental Orientation

In addition to the orientation conducted by the Office of Human Resources, new employees are provided further orientation at the departmental level. In part, supervisors are responsible for assuring that each new employee is familiar with the role that the department plays in the functioning of the University and how his or her position contributes to the functioning of the department. In addition, it is expected that supervisors will review the following subjects with each new employee:

• the employee's job duties and responsibilities;
• the operational policies and procedures of the department (e.g., lunch hours and reporting of absences);
• the functions and activities of the department;
• the quality of services that the department is expected to provide to its clients (students, parents, visitors, and the public);
• the physical layout of the office, the building and immediate vicinity, and all other relevant work areas;
• the University Information Security Policy and Guidelines;
• environmental health and safety training; and
• other applicable departmental policies.

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